Friend In Need
by carolinesayer
Summary: Riley's ill. What more can I say?


**DISCLAIMER: I don't own National Treasure or any of the characters – but I'd love Riley! – and I don't own Saffron either although I do love their food… xx**

**Rated T because… precaution? Maybe some curse words depending on your opinion of curse words…**

Riley moaned as he tugged his sheets in tighter. He was freezing and thirsty and his head was pounding but he couldn't bring himself to move at all. Riley hated the rare occurrence of him being ill. He couldn't bring himself to get up and go find some pills or a glass of water but at the same time he hated himself for not bothering. He knew he would get dehydrated and make things ten times worse for himself but whenever he moved his head would rebel. Hell, his whole body would rebel. He hadn't been sick or anything – yet – he just felt shaky and achy and tired, just plain lousy.

Hours passed on and sleep evaded him. His head felt worse and he was shivering even more. Earlier he'd heard his mobile ringing but had ignored it and now he was simply feeling sorry for himself. The sheets and probably himself, he realised, smelt disgusting and screamed 'disease'. He'd thrown his alarm across the room after becoming frustrated at how slow time was passing and now he couldn't help realising that a big house with Ben and Abby around would be preferable to a dingy apartment at the moment… but he'd never admit that again.

Ben had mentioned several times how they had plenty of room for Riley in that big house or mansion or whatever and Riley had several times insisted how he loved his apartment and didn't want to intrude anyway. And he did love his apartment – it had all he needed, his computer, his sound system and his fridge. He didn't want anything else. Oh, and he had his car, his incredible Ferrari. But at the moment, he would give up all of that… okay maybe not the car, but anything else to have his friends sort him out with his laptop and maybe a glass of water.

**NTNTNT**

Ben was worried. Himself, Abby and Riley were supposed to have been meeting for dinner and going to Saffron – an Indian restaurant just ten minutes away from both their houses but he hadn't heard from his friend all day. Riley was a loyal friend and would ring if he couldn't get to something but he would also normally ring to negotiate pizza over Indian. The silence was bothering Ben and he could tell it was bothering Abby too. He'd tried calling Riley himself several times but never got through and was now debating whether to go to the restaurant and see if he was there, it was nearing six after all, or whether he should drop by the apartment. A glance at Abigail and he was decided. The apartment.

Since meeting Riley, Ben had felt protective of him. He was sarcastic and eager and had always believed in Ben but the treasure hunter knew his friend had an easily bruised set of feelings. It sometimes surprised Ben how loyal Riley would be to him even though he was often shunted aside. Well today, Ben was going to change that. He was going to go check on his friend.

**NTNTNT**

Riley knew he was being pathetic but he ignored the 'logic' man in his head and snuggled back down in the sheets, desperately searching for heat. He heard someone knocking on the door but ignored it, he couldn't be bothered. They'd go away and he'd find out who it was tomorrow when he felt better.

**NTNTNT**

Ben was worried now. He fished through his keys and found the spare one Riley had given him when he'd first bought the apartment which had three keys. When he finally got in he was relieved to see that everything was intact and then shocked as he found Riley wrapped up in his bed, the image practically screaming 'illness.' The boy would make a great advert for preventing flu spreading – kill the germs or look like me!

"Riley?" Ben stepped over the Transformers alarm clock and over to his friend.

"M'hm?" The response was muffled but clearly Riley's sarcastic response. Just a depressed version.

"You should have called, I'd have come and done you some lunch." Ben scolded the young man and nearly rolled his eyes. It was so like Riley to ignore the fact he had friends that would look after him. Or maybe he just didn't realise that they would.

"Thanks." Riley moaned but peeped out from the covers – "Could you maybe get me some water? And some Tylenol?"

Abigail smiled slightly and wordlessly went through to the kitchen, filling a clean glass with water and finding the Tylenol in a cupboard in the corner. She returned and they both watched as Riley swallowed the drugs and sipped from the water.

"What, you think I'm going to spit them out when you're not looking?" Riley managed to finish the water and lay back against the pillow embarrassed. "Thanks guys." He suddenly remembered that he was supposed to have met them earlier and inwardly cursed himself. "The Indian… Ben I'm so sorry!" He felt immediately guilty and felt the colour rising in his cheeks. He'd managed to ruin the whole night for everyone.

"Don't worry Riley it was just one meal. Get some rest." Abby went through to refill his glass, realising she was a third wheel here. She knew he wouldn't have gotten up for anything all day and that he was probably dehydrated too. Ben sat next to the bed and started flicking through a book he found at the end of Riley's bed.

"Get some sleep Riley."

"What – so you can rob my apartment?" Riley managed to mutter the comeback as he retreated further into the covers and Ben smiled and watched as the younger man finally succumbed to what he had been craving all day.

**The End xx**

**Thanks for reading guys, first National Treasure fic I'm so proud! Anyway please review even if you think it's rubbish, don't worry I kind of do too xx**


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